Winter Vacations for Every Budget

Aspen/Snowmass, CO

Courtesy of Aspen Skiing Company

Last winter was one of the best ski seasons in history, with excellent snow conditions almost everywhere the white stuff can be found in the United States. Now, with extremely early snow already falling from coast to coast this year (New York City just broke its all-time snow record for October, for example) conditions are shaping up for another epic season.

Since skiing (and snowboarding) lends itself equally to friends, couples and extended families–groups big and small–the annual ski trip has become a vacation occasion. Still, somewhat unfairly, skiing has been pigeon-holed as an expensive sport. It can be, but it doesn’t have to be. Whether you have an unlimited bankroll, can’t live without the services of a ski valet, or you simply want to get the family into a condo and out on the slopes, there is a resort for you. The good news is that saving money doesn’t mean sacrificing quality.

These five resorts feature excellent value and first-rate skiing at every conceivable price point. They are rated from $ (Bargain) to $$ (Moderate) to $$$ (Luxury).

12 Winter Vacations for Every Budget

Aspen/Snowmass, CO

$$-$$$: Aspen has a decadent luxury reputation, and for the many guests arriving by private jet, it is certainly possible to make the sky the only limit on what you spend, with luxury hotels like the Little Nell and St. Regis and a slate of fine dining restaurants charging top dollar. But Aspen is a real town, an old mining town, full of less ornate hotels, condos, and charming saloons, and it is entirely possible to do it on the beer and burger, rather than champagne and caviar, budget. The Aspen/Snowmass Resort is actually four ski mountains in one, linked by an elaborate free bus system, and those staying out at Aspen Highlands – the expert’s favorite – or in a condo at Snowmass, the largest, can make it a surprisingly affordable destination while still reveling in the town’s charms.

Heavenly, CA/NV

Courtesy of Heavenly Mountain Resort

Heavenly, CA/NV

$-$$: Heavenly is a huge resort straddling the California and Nevada state lines, famous for its deep snow, hugely varied terrain, tree skiing, abundant sunshine, and epic views overlooking Lake Tahoe. But it is really two resorts in one. Heavenly recently added a mountain village at its base, which is very convenient and a great choice for families, though a bit pricier. It also has a long gondola connecting the resort with the town of Stateline on the shore of Lake Tahoe below. Stateline is full of inexpensive casino resorts, in the cut-priced manner you only find at casino destinations, meaning you can stay right on the town’s main street on a limited budget, enjoying all the casino amenities like cheap drinks, cheap food, and lots of dining, nightlife, and live entertainment, and still walk to the lifts. There is really nothing else like it in the nation.

Jay Peak, VT

Courtesy of Jay Peak Resort

Jay Peak, VT

$: Vermont has the most big ski resorts east of the Mississippi, but Jay is very unique for Vermont. First, it gets the most snow, lots of snow, consistently. It is one of the only places in the east where you might actually encounter deep powder. Secondly, it has extensive glades and backcountry access, not common in the Northeast. Most importantly, it is the furthest from New York, Boston, and all the major cities of northeast corridor, right on the Canadian border. This means to compete with the half dozen huge resorts that require far less driving, it has to be cheaper – and it is. Jay has a small assortment of modestly priced hotels, lodges, and condos around the base area, lots of packages, inexpensive cuisine, and less expensive lift tickets than any of its big competitors. A short drive away, prices are even lower.

Jackson Hole, WY

Courtesy of Wikipedia

Jackson Hole, WY

$$: Jackson is one of the wealthiest towns in America, with residents like Harrison Ford and Dick Cheney, but the secret is that it is one of the only ski towns that’s busier in summer, thanks to Yellowstone Park. So it has an enormous tourist infrastructure and “bed base” of motels, cabins, lodges, and hotels at every price point, and the pricy luxury ones like the Four Seasons and Terra are the exception, not the rule. It has huge breadth of restaurant from high-end sushi to burger shacks and barbecue, and the mountain itself offers rental condos and homes and lots of affordable packages and specials that include free air. As for the skiing, it simply does not get any better than this, and while Jackson has tons of terrain for all abilities, it is the nation’s best choice for advanced skiers, with the highest vertical drop in the US.

Deer Valley, UT

Courtesy of Montage Resort, Deer Valley

Deer Valley, UT

$$$: Deer Valley is all about pampering, and it is one of the only ski resorts in the world that limits lift ticket sales every day, even when more people are willing to pay, just to keep the experience uncrowded for its high-powered guests. Its slopes are home to three of the most over-the-top luxury ski-in/ski-out hotels in the world, the Montage (pictured here), the Stein Eriksen Lodge, and the St. Regis Deer Crest. It is also is home to hundreds of luxury rental ski homes that cost far more than most hotels. Everything at Deer Valley is about the customer experience, from the absence of paper plates in the on-mountain “cafeterias” to the exceptional ski school, and it is eternally popular with families – rich families. The mountain is famed for its “corduroy” grooming, and the slopes definitely skew towards beginners and intermediates.

In Pictures: 12 Winter Vacations for Every Budgets